TODAY, the world bows in solemn reverence, not merely because we have lost a pope, but because we have lost a man whose soul bore the unmistakable imprint of heaven, a shepherd who walked humbly with his flock, who led not with grandeur, but with grace, not with thunder, but with truth clothed in love. For me, this loss is deeply personal. In the hallowed halls of St. Peter’s Basilica in 2017, it was Pope Francis who stood before me and my beloved wife, Amaka and sanctified our union under God’s gaze. With a presence as gentle as morning light and a spirit steeped in humility, he wove divine joy into that moment, leaving a mark on our souls we shall carry all our days. Unfortunately, I lost my wife in a ghastly motor accident along Ore-Akure road in November 2020. And another in a gesture that left me awestruck, he conferred upon me the title of Papal Knight of the Order of St. Sylvester an honour I wear not for pride, but as a call to greater service and virtue, inspired by the example of this extraordinary man. a man of immense humility, radical compassion, and courageous faith.
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For me, these were not mere ceremonies. They were moments of divine encounter with a man who radiated the love of God with a warmth and gentleness that is rare in this world. Pope Francis was humility made flesh. He lived the Gospel in every embrace, every word of compassion, every act of service. His papacy was a refuge for the outcast, a light for the weary, a challenge to the comfortable. He reminded us all that greatness is found in mercy, and that holiness is rooted in love. He also reminded us that holiness is not far away, but found in compassion, in mercy, in justice. His papacy was not just a chapter in history, but a light in the dark, a hand extended to the lost, and a voice that dared to say: “Who am I to judge?”As we commend him now into the arms of the Eternal Father he served so faithfully, we do not merely mourn. We give thanks. For the courage he showed.
For the bridges he built. For the hope he restored. His departure leaves a vast silence but it is not empty. It is filled with echoes of hope, of transformation, of faith lived boldly and beautifully.
Holy Father Francis lived as a servant. Reigned as a healer. Now gone as a saint.
You have fought the good fight. You have finished the race. You have kept the faith.
And we the ones you loved will carry your light forward.
You served. You loved. You changed the world.
- Ndoma-Egba, OFR, CON, SAN,former Leader of the Nigerian Senate is a Papal Knight of Saint Sylvester and Pro-Chancellor of the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti
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